Well pump



K. KELLEY WELL PUMP Nov. 7 1950 Filed June 3, 1946 ,USE

Kork f1 e] hayv INVENTOR.

A T ToRJvE Y Patented Nov. 7, 19.50

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WELL PUMP Kork Kelley, Wichita Falls, Tex. Application June 3, 1946, serial No. 673,981

rlhis invention relates to valve controlled pumps, and has particular reference to pumps adaptable to the displacement of oils and gases.

In conventional pump construction, little or no provision has been made for displacement or disposition of gases entrapped between the suction and discharge valves and in the process of pumping oil from a well most of the oil and water pumps in universal use contain a clearance space between the traveling and standing valves of approximately twenty percent of the entire volumetric pump displacement.

As the compressibility of oil and water is negligible, the conventional type pump performs satisfactorily .when only such matter is encountered. However, when gas is encountered and enters the pump chamber between the traveling and standing valves, the efciency of the pump is greatly impaired and in many instances totally inadequate. lIfhese gases remain in the clearance chamber, and owing to their high compressibility, cause the pump to become gas locked.

It is the principal object of this invention to reduce the clearance chamber between the suction and intake valves of a pump to a minimum volume, and in so doing eliminate the possibility of failure by a gas-lock, since it is generally known that various liquids assume a iluid or a gaseous state when subjected to varying degrees of temperature and compression.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pump capable of producing an uninterrupted flow of fluid or gaseous matter.

Another object of the invention is to provide an efficient pump having a clearance chamber with a minimum volumetric capacity.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a pump containing a standing valve adaptable to minute adjustment.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, this invention has further reference to certain features of accomplishment and arrangement of essential parts, which will become increasingly apparent as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: l

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational View of the invention in vertical section showing the inner construction details of the traveling valve in its relationship with the enclosing pump barrel, the traveling valve being shown at the end of its downward stroke.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational View 3 claims. (C1. 10s-179) of the barrel, the standing valve and the traveling valve illustrated in larger detail.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of a portion of the traveling valve, shown partially in section.

Figure 4 is an elevational View of the lower extremity of the pump barrel.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 5 5 in Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a modified form of the standing valve of the invention showing the surrounding parts in vertical section.

A large percentage of wells which produce petroleum will continue to produce large amounts of gas after cessation of natural iiow.

ihis gas originates from two sources, being either the free or solution gas. The tempera# ture and pressure changes which these gases undergo are seldom compensated for in conventional pump design and since the gas is compressible, expansion takes place after compression if space is provided therefor. Conventional oil well pumps are only single acting, that is, they are designed to intake fluid on the upstroke and transfer the uid above the upper valve on the downstroke and in practically all pump designs there is a clearance space between the suction and discharge valves when the plunger completes its discharge stroke, which space amounts to 20% or more by volume of the total volumetric displacement of the pump.

All of the gas remaining in the clearance space between the valves is compressed to a pressure equal to the discharge pressure. If this gas or gaseous fluid under pressure is of such volume that it will occupy the space made by the plunger on the next intake stroke, the pump will intake no product and -will become gas locked or air bound as this condition is commonly called.

The clearance space above referred to is due to the design of the upper and lower valves, cages and associated parts of a pump and it is the purpose of the present invention to eliminate a greater part of this space in order that the volume of gas capable of being entrapped therein will be reduced to the very minimum, thereby to obviate the troublesome gas and air locks referred to.

With the foregoing in view, further reference is made to the drawing wherein numeral l0 denotes a pump barrel having threaded thereon a suction valve casing ll, to which is joined a bottom extension I2. Within the pump barrel Il] reciprocates a traveling Valve I3, the latter be 2,528,833 i. Ei

3 ing entirely conventional but further reference thereto will be made presently.

The present invention which must include 'relationship with conventional parts described and to be described, consists of a valve guide I4 mounted in the casing I I which abuts an annular shoulder a interiorly of the casing II. This shoulder also serves as a seat for a spherical valve drop I5, having a stem I6 which reciprocates in the guide I4. The guide I4 has passages Ia longitudinally therethrough for upward passage of fluid. To limit the degree of displacement of the valve drop I in relation to its seat a, a collar I'I is mounted on the stem I6 below the guide I4, said sleeve being obviously capable of adjustment longitudinally of the stem to vary the degree of displacement of the valve drop.

The traveling Valve is provided with a conventional fluid tube I8 which communicates with a fluid displacement chamber 18a. immediately above the ball valve I9 operating in relation to a seat 20 in the lower end of the traveling valve I3. A companion ball drop 2I is in control of the upper end of the fluid displacement tube I8 while conventional cups 22 surround the tube intermediate its ends.

As stated previously, the importance of the invention resides in the relative spacing of the lower valve I9 and the standing valve I5. Therefore, the extension or standing valve casing I I 1s reduced in length to allow the lower end of the traveling valve to approach contiguity with the spherical standing valve I5, thereby reducing to a negligible degree the capacity of the clearance space or chamber 23 when the traveling valve is at the limit of its downstroke.

It is obvious that since the valve drops i9 and I5 are caused to be brought into close relative proximity, there is little product present in the chamber 23, thus reducing to a negligible degree the likelihood of a gas or air lock.

' In Figure 6 is shown a slight modification in the form of the standing valve I5 in that the latter, instead of being of spherical shape, it is sub-hemispherical but has the depending guide or stem I6 and retaining collar II, not unlike that of the spheroidal valve drop I5. However, by so constructing the valve drop, the clearance between the valve drops I5 and I9 is reduced even 4 more than is possible through the arrangement earlier described, i. e., with the spheroidal Valve drop shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Manifestly, the construction as lshown and described is capable of some modication and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A pump for volatile liquids having a working barrel and a hollow plunger, a discharge valve in said plunger, said plunger having a relatively thin lower end wall, a seat for said discharge valve in the lower end wall of said plunger, said end wall having a recessed bottom, a tubular extension on said working barrel dening a suction valve chamber, a reciprocable suction valve occupying substantially the entire volume of said chamber at the limit of the down-strokeof the plunger, the upper portion of said suction valve being disposed in the recess at the limit of the down-stroke of said plunger, said discharge valve being eiective, on the down-stroke of said plunger, to reduce the volume of said gaseous product between said valves and to increase the fluid displacement of said pump by descending on its seat into contiguity with the upper portion of said suction valve, and means for limiting the displacement of said suction valve.

2. A pump as set forth in claim 1, vin which said suction valve has a stem and an attendant guide and seat.

3. A pump as set forth in claim 1, in which said valve chambers are separated Vonly by the thickness of said discharge valve seat.

KORK KELLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 32,831 Greenleaf July 16, 1861 825,868 Safford July 10, 1906 2,166,612 Scott July 18, 1989 2,366,080 Wingate Dec. 26, 1944 2,457,339 Bertea Dec. 28, 1948 

